


Sands of Time

by HQ_Wingster



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate History, Alternate Universe - Ancient Egypt, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Ancient Egypt, Ancient History, Archaeology, Character Death, Dark Arts, Dark Magic, Epic Friendship, Friendship is Magic, Heartache, Human Sacrifice, Male Friendship, Multi, Out of Character, Past Character Death, Royalty, Self-Sacrifice, Slave Trade, Time Travel, Tourism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-18 09:51:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9379244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HQ_Wingster/pseuds/HQ_Wingster
Summary: Drugged and kidnapped, Guanghong wakes up to an underground world where sacrifices are made in attempt to bring back a Lost King. Armed with his wit and humor--and maybe some self-defense from his father--Guanghong escapes from his fate and travels back in time with an up and coming archaeologist, Leo de la Iglesia.With Time against them, the two must save a Lost King or risk having time repeat itself again. But with what you change now, you risk altering the people you've grown to care for.





	

**Author's Note:**

> An assignment for Creative Writing. I drew two cards from a hat. One had 'Inmate' and the other had 'Pyramid', and the first thing I thought of was an Egyptian Sacrifice. Yeah, that was my train of thought.
> 
> *This story was originally going to be longer with added funny scenes and much more detail towards the end with the pharaoh, but the story was already 16 pages long and I didn't want my CW teacher to suffer. Oh well...*

[story's soundtrack](https://ask-makeup-georgi.tumblr.com/post/156182569397/just-a-simple-little-piece-for-a-time-traveling)

* * *

 

                Trekking through the sand dunes of Egypt was one thing, but blindfolded while tied down to your ankles was something completely different. Each hump that the truck smashed through rocked Guanghong from one end to the other. Smashed against a door window and bruises blossoming along his side, Guanghong tried to secure himself when his body flew into the air and slammed into the roof of the truck. Tumbling back to earth, Guanghong tried wiggling his wrists out from of his ankle restraints. Bad move on his part. The truck sunk into a pool of sand, and his captors bailed out early.

                Falling off his seat, Guanghong’s tooth was knocked out when his face collided onto the floor with a low thud. Feeling the truck submerge, Guanghong wiggled onto his knees and tried to feel his way to the truck’s door. Any door. It didn’t matter to him. Rubbing his head against a familiar surface, Guanghong poked his nose through every dip and crevice on the truck door until he found the handle. Pulling it with his teeth, Guanghong body slammed the door open and a rush of sand quickly drowned him.

                Struggling to rip his limbs free from their bonds, Guanghong held his breath and tried wiggling his way through the sand to freedom. But when he felt the hot sun bake the back of his neck, Guanghong’s freedom was snatched up by his captors and gobbled up before his eyes. Of course, Guanghong couldn’t see, but he did imagine his captors staring down at him with a vulture’s glint upon their brows. Hoisted by the scruff of his neck, Guanghong was forced to march.

                “Where?”

                Someone kicked him down, crushing his face into the baking earth. _“March if you want to live.”_

Blindfolded but now free from his restraints, Guanghong walked down a lonely road that was more fitting for a man on Death’s row. He heard his captors. Their footsteps didn’t sink neatly into the sand, and they were speaking in a language that he didn’t understand. A few times, they ordered him to walk faster. Guanghong spoke back and said that he had no idea where to go. Someone told him to march forward, and Guanghong bit back his tongue.

Behind him, his captors exchanged some food and water between each other. Guanghong licked the roof of this mouth, and his steps became more like shuffles along the sand. Licking the spot where he lost his tooth, Guanghong had his fill of blood before his captors barked at him to stop walking. The heat already numbing his mind, Guanghong continued to march forward until he heard a gun cocked and aimed at him. Guanghong stopped.

_“Don’t make me repeat myself again.”_

Guanghong barely understood what the man was saying, even though he spoke English. It all sounded like one big sad joke, but Guanghong wasn’t laughing and he was desperate for a drink of water. Someone yanked his arm, and Guanghong followed absently until he felt a cool shade along his back. Wherever he was, it was dark and Guanghong’s nose wrinkled at the smells that seeped out from this new surroundings. Low chanting perked his ears, but he didn’t understand a word as his captors pushed him somewhere and locked the door.

Blindfold ripped from his head, Guanghong blinked to adjust to the overwhelming darkness. He was in a holding cell that was barely lit by an ancient candle. His captors had already disappeared, so Guanghong sunk low into the ground as he covered his nose from the awful stench that saturated the air. What was it? Rotting flesh? Guanghong tensed up. In a last ditch effort, he dug through his pockets. His phone and his wallet were gone, probably still lying around where Guanghong was last seen in the public’s eyes. Resting his chin on his knees, Guanghong tried to steady his breathing while tears welled up in his eyes.

Why was he here? Treated like a nobody that didn’t belong. What did he even do? Guanghong had just gotten out of the airport when a bag was slapped over his head. He later found out that he was drugged when he eventually woke up on a passenger seat of moving truck as it sailed across the Egyptian dunes. For an opening scene in a letter to back home, Guanghong knew that it would terrify and spark awe into his parents. For a mere tourist who wanted to check somewhere new, Guanghong was glad to still have his head at this point.

Whatever oddity that was going on, Guanghong worked out that chanting was involved and that… _and that live sacrifices were needed._ If the screams echoing from elsewhere wasn’t enough of an indication, the waft of blood turned Guanghong’s stomach instead. Arms riddled with goosebumps, Guanghong tried to blend into the darkness when he heard footsteps hurrying down to the holding cell.

A woman cloaked from head to toe in black silk barked at him. Guanghong raised an eyebrow and shouted that he had no idea what she was saying.

The woman spat behind her. _“American.”_

Guanghong’s hands tightened into fists. The door unlocked, Guanghong was dragged by his arm down a winding stone corridor as wails and shrieks deafened his ears. He recoiled when the woman ordered him to walk faster. He dragged his heels when he heard the slit of a throat as a horrible mesh slipped and fell with a squishy sound. Guanghong blinked awkwardly when the woman in front of him told him to strip.

“Excuse me?”

But already, a curved dagger shot out from nowhere and barely grazed Guanghong’s neck. Keeping an eye on the blade, Guanghong quickly unbuttoned his shirt and the blade slid the cloth off from his torso. That was as much as Guanghong was willing to do, and the woman didn’t argue when she dragged Guanghong across a platform and made him lie down on a rock slab covered in blood.

 _“You will lie. You will wait. Hopefully, you won’t die.”_ All said with a smile, but Guanghong stared at the fresh blood dripping off the rock table and shook his head.

“I am a tourist. How much of that don’t you understand?” But the woman turned her head and walked off the platform, and Guanghong was forced to look around and see the vengeful eyes that had him pinned down. Steadying his breathing, Guanghong got onto the table and lied down. He held his breath when his back touched the slick blood, but he had to make himself comfy for what was to come. A raging fire blossomed around the table, and Guanghong knew better than to back out now.

Upon the sacrificial altar where he laid, a booming voice called out from the darkness.

_“Are you the one who they call ‘Monster’?”_

Guanghong shook his head. “I’ve been called ‘Nerd’ if that counts towards anything.” Guanghong flinched when the voice told him to answer the question. “ _N-No. No, Sir.”_

_“Are you not the man who tore a family limb from limb because they granted you no place to sleep?”_

“S-Sir? C-Cult leader guy?” Guanghong lifted his head and a dozen eyes followed his movements. “I just got here. My plane arrived a bit late, and I was supposed to meet up with a tour guide so that I can explore the city. I swear, I never killed anybody in my life.” Guanghong braced himself when he heard the cult members whisper amongst themselves. Eyes scanning his surroundings, Guanghong held his breath when the fire around him lowered. A cult member crossed over the ring, and Guanghong jerked when he felt their fingers traced paint along stomach and chest.

They urged him not to squirm, but Guanghong’s limbs thrashed at the sheer cold that swept across his body from the paint. There weren’t just random marks along his torso. The marks were symbols, and Guanghong still shivered, even after the quick touchup was done.

“I’m not who you’re looking for!” he screamed, eyes wide when the painted marks began to glow. The ring of fire grew tenfold and glowed with the same dark energy as the marks. Guanghong couldn’t move. Some unforeseeable force pinned him against the sacrificial altar as a whirling cloud of dust and smoke circled and hovered over him as chanting commenced in the background.

The chants grew louder, grew faster. The whirling dark mass over Guanghong irritated the painted marks across his skin. Guanghong struggled to break free from his bonds. He dared not close his eyes. If he did, he knew that he would never be the same again. But when a sudden shroud of darkness cloaked his eyes, Guanghong thought it was the beginning of his end. On the contrary, it was the end of the beginning because the chanting stopped. The whirling dark mass disappeared. The flames that cackled brightly around the sacrificial altar were drowned out, and Guanghong felt someone gently tap his shoulder.

Never letting go of the gentle hand, Guanghong rolled off the face of the rock slab and followed his guardian angel through the darkness as the cult members drew wild accusations and threw them at each other. A fury of weapons was distributed and thundering footsteps echoed throughout the chamber. Even in the thick darkness surrounding him, Guanghong could still make out the outline of a rock pinnacle. Pulling his guardian angel, he swung them both behind the pinnacle as a wild cult member slashed his sword at where they were just moments before.

Jumping the cult member, Guanghong wrestled the man to the ground. Both men fighting for dominance, all weapons were left behind in a race to see who would be left standing. Being smaller, Guanghong was easily pinned down, but nothing was against self-defense. Crossing his arms into an X, Guanghong blocked a swift punch. Lying on his back, Guanghong curled his legs and threw the cult member off of him. Scrambling, the man pulled out a gun. Firing in every possible direction, Guanghong dodged and hid behind another rock pinnacle, feeling that there was loose gravel under his feet.

Tossing the rocks opposite of where he was, Guanghong watched as the cult member followed the sound. Then with the quietest of steps, Guanghong pounced, locking the cult member’s legs with his own. There was a gunshot, but Guanghong’s guardian didn’t move from his spot. It was still quite dark in the chamber, and the cult members still didn’t know what to do besides thrashing in every which direction. The guardian only lifted his head when he heard Guanghong’s whisper, and the two sneaked off into a less-traveled passage way and disappeared deeper into the heart of the pyramid.

Safe, Guanghong’s guardian pulled out and turned on a flashlight. Despite the lack of angelic wings and a famous yellow halo, his guardian took the form of an archeologist with loose-fitted clothes and an escape rope hugged over his shoulders. Guanghong had seen more peculiar fashions back at home, so he had no reason to judge. Keeping the stolen gun by his side, Guanghong followed after his guardian angel down the now lit passage way. Rubbing his shoulders and looking down at his torso, the painted marks were gone, but Guanghong still felt their burn.

It was almost too quiet, besides the sound of their footsteps. Guanghong coughed hastily into his elbow. “Who were those people?”

“An old cult family that’s been sacrificing individuals for generations,” answered his guardian. Guanghong let out a whimper before stiffening up. A cold sweat ran down his skin from just thinking of all the lives that were taken. And for how long? It didn’t make Guanghong feel good, and he was a bit ashamed that a bragging grin tugged his lips. At least Guanghong’s guardian had his back towards him. However, the guardian stopped in his tracks and lowered his flashlight. Guanghong gulped but steadied his breathing when he heard the man’s soft voice again. _“I didn’t think they would randomly take a civilian like you.”_

“What do you mean?”

A foot buried itself into an endless sea of sand. “Rumors go around that they kidnap people who walk the more dangerous paths in life, or so I’ve heard.” The guardian began walking again, and Guanghong was quick to follow, ears poised to capture what they wanted to hear. “I’ve never heard of them steal an innocent before unless…” His voice trailed off, but Guanghong was persistent.

“Unless what?”

“ _Unless you’re the vessel that they’ve been searching for.”_ Guanghong’s guardian aimed his flashlight along the series of walls that came to them when the passage opened up to reveal a magnificent lair fit for a king. Sketched along the walls were hieroglyphics, and Guanghong watched as his company approached the written text and scan his flashlight across the vast span of pictures that seemed to have been written as far as the eye could see. “I’m Leo, by the way,” said the guardian. “Just a simple archeologist.”

“You can’t be a ‘ _simple archeologist’_ if you managed a diversion like before,” Guanghong commented, twirling the silver gun around his finger as he followed Leo still.

There was a low chuckle as well as maybe a sly smile if Guanghong squinted. “So are you going to introduce yourself, or do I have to pretend that you did.”

Guanghong rolled his eyes as he stared down at a block of text that Leo was scanning. “It’s Guanghong, _Guanghong Ji_.”

“Pleasure to meet.” They shook hands, and Guanghong was left wondering how they could have such a normal introduction after almost risking their lives over an insane cult practice. Guanghong didn’t get it, but Leo acted as if he was used to doing work like this. Then again, he may’ve been at the pyramid for far longer than what Guanghong credited him for. Interesting enough, it brought back a curious comment that Leo had said before.

“When you said I was a ‘ _vessel’,_ what did you mean by that?”

Leo licked his lips. “You were to be the living shell for a deceased pharaoh. This is his pyramid.” Leo gestured to the towering pillars and the sea of text that seemed to have engulfed every square inch of space within the chamber. “ _This_ is his last resting place.”

“But why would they want to bring someone back from the dead?”

Leo paused in his tracks. Silently gesturing for Guanghong to come over, Guanghong stood aside Leo as the man’s flashlight shone down upon a block of text that seemed to have depicted a life. Perhaps, it was the pharaoh’s because Guanghong’s eyes flashed as Leo read and translated the story for Guanghong to hear. And while Leo’s words filled the empty space between them, Guanghong could hear the Egyptian sands blow past his ears as he saw someone’s life pass by his eyes like a silent film.

“Back in the ancient world, this land was ruled by a powerful royal family. Their territory was vast, and it covered all of Egypt and every river that crossed this land was theirs to regulate. But though they held the powers equivalent to the ancient gods, the family was humble and kind. When the couple’s only son grew of age, it was his turn to reign where his father and his forefathers have cherished and protected for generations. But on the eve when the sun fell, so did the son fall too and with it, the kingdom that so many thought had no end.”

“If the text isn’t lying, the son never ruled at all.”

“That’s not perfectly true,” Leo stood back to admire the wall. “I’ve been at this pyramid for a while now and from analyzing most of what I’ve read, the son was a strong leader who held his place in the community’s eyes. The writers who’ve left us the renaments of the son’s story tell us that he was patient, kind, and a willing listener to all the troubles that plagued his small hometown near the outskirts of the kingdom.” For a moment, Leo’s eyes dulled and his remaining comments sounded like they were meant more to himself than to anyone else. _“He should’ve been gained the throne much sooner, but his father decided to wait until his son was wise enough to bear the burdens of this ancient world alone.”_

“Well, I guess that brings some reasoning to how I got here,” Guanghong mumbled, tapping his foot and kicking aside a loose rock. “You can’t rewrite history, though. What does anyone hope to gain if you bring someone back from the dead?” Eyes turned away from Leo’s flashlight, Guanghong gazed up to where he thought the roof of the pyramid was. Then again, he didn’t really know, but he looked up anyway. _“They’re not who they used to be.”_

Leo shone his flashlight over to Guanghong. “You sound like you have experience.”

_“Maybe I do.”_

Moving out of the chamber, Leo and Guanghong ventured further down into the pyramid. Every statue that greeted them from the darkness, Leo made sure to bow to each one and cite why he was here. Guanghong bowed his head too, but he looked up into the eyes of the statues instead of looking straight down at his feet. He asked Leo why the greeting was so crucial, and Leo responded back with,

“It doesn’t hurt to be polite in a place where you’re not supposed to be.”

Guanghong bit back a laugh as he hid the gun away when they met another statue. “You’re an archeologist. You dig up mysteries and you showcase history.”

“That doesn’t give me the right to barge into a resting place like this.” For once, Leo’s voice wasn’t soft. Guanghong’s eyes flickered down to his feet after the two bowed to a passing statue, and he strayed a little bit from Leo until the other sighed and softened his tone. “That’s why you ask for the forgiveness of the ancient gods when you see them. It’s better to have a clean heart than one heavy with secrets and lies.”

“Sounds like you have experience.”

“Maybe I do,” Leo said. Was there a hint of a smile on his face, or was Guanghong imaging things that weren’t there. Further up ahead still was an opening, which Guanghong assumed was the way out of the pyramid. He thanked Leo for the help, and Leo drew off his traveling cloak and wrapped it over Guanghong’s shoulders like a mother pulling on a jacket for her child. “I know there’s a caravan that passes by at around this time. They go to town. You can find help there.”

“Thank you, Leo.” Guanghong gave an acknowledging nod before turning his back on the archeologist. He half the heart to ask Leo if he wanted to go to town too, but he stopped himself when he saw Leo’s flashlight fade away from behind him. Bracing himself for the outside world, Guanghong stepped out into the world. It was unlike anything he would ever imagine.

The sun was bright and hot, but it felt youthful as its rays danced across his skin and hair. Sights and sounds became foreign to Guanghong as he rubbed his eyes and blinked. Was there really a camel auction going on in front of him, or was there a mirage messing with him? No, the dusted scent of the animals and the raising voices as the auction bid grew bigger and bigger was real. It was all real. From the produce down the market stands to the kids rushing through the human traffic in a game of tag, Guanghong stood out like an awkward thumb.

His shoes were out of place, his hair was like a signal beacon in a sea of ancient hairstyles, and Guanghong jumped when he heard Leo’s voice behind him. Turning around, the pyramid was gone. Replaced where it stood was Leo, who was scratching his chin while his eyes lit up like stars. While on that, where did Leo get _that_ cloak? The one fastened over Guanghong’s shoulders was new and vibrant compared to the dusty and worn out one that clung to Leo as a gust swept by, trailing sand and dust into every passing eye.

Barefoot and with a thin cloth tied around his waist, Leo looked more like a chipper camper than a scared tourist who had no idea why he was dragged into this world.

“I always heard that Egypt has a way of showing you the past. I never thought this would happen.” Did Leo’s voice crack? Was he squealing like a little girl who was promised a million cupcakes for her birthday? Guanghong’s shoulders sagged when he picked up his fallen jaw.

“Hold up. There was a pyramid right behind me. You were behind me. Now you’re here.” The inner gears in Guanghong’s mind snapped and fell off his brain. “ _And I’m here too…”_ Voice trailing off, Guanghong reached for his head in case it decided to fly off his shoulders and collide with the sun. _“Why are we here?”_

“It could be that the gods want us to change the past.” It wasn’t a question but a statement, and Leo looked too pleased with himself. Drawing his mind away from the numerous questions that were piling in his head, Guanghong inched closer to Leo when people started staring at them. Keeping Guanghong close under his wing, Leo led Guanghong to a more secluded spot in the busy Egyptian market. Hidden behind woven sheets, Leo was a good sport when a barrage of questions vomited out of Guanghong’s mouth.

“Do you speak Egyptian?”

Leo settled on a smile for his reply. “I learned enough Arabic to converse with the locals. Sadly, professors don’t teach you much in terms of speaking ancient languages, but at least I can read.”

That wasn’t any good to Guanghong, but at least he had Leo to guide him through this hectic ancient world. Speaking of that, Guanghong’s mind drew a blank. Before, weren’t they in a pyramid in the middle of nowhere? Now they’re here, in a bumbling and stumbling marketplace. Guanghong raised an eyebrow. “Where are we?”

“Possibly in the town where the old pharaoh’s son grew up in.”

Like clockwork, Guanghong’s mind repaired itself and the gears started turning from the new information gained. “That means…”

“I guess the gods want us to save the son.” If Leo looked too pleased before, he looked like a child that was given all the candy in the world. This wasn’t right, not to Guanghong. Leo was an archeologist who was supposed to dig up history, not alter the course of history for humanity forever. Guanghong was a tourist who was supposed to enjoy his first vacation in years, but now he had to save someone that he barely knew and by whom

Not the ancient gods that Guanghong had bowed to moments before, not the cliché brochure ad for a trip to Egypt that he saw in his mother’s office, and definitely not by Guanghong, himself. If he hadn’t known better, this whole fiasco may’ve been a secret fantasy of Leo’s for all he knew, but Guanghong needed Leo. However, did Leo need him?

“Leo, this is a bad idea. If the guy died, he died. You can’t change that. You’ll change history forever, and dinosaurs might be in the twenty-first century for all we know.”

It was Leo’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Dinosaurs died a long time ago, my friend. Not to mention, if the son dies, you would still be kidnapped and held as a sacrifice like you were in the beginning. What do you want to do?” Leo crossed his arms, a smug smile across his lips while Guanghong’s eye twitched. It was a loss cause, but Guanghong struck a deal. With the time they have left before the coronation, they had to save the pharaoh from whatever killed him before.

“And no side tracking!”

Leo paused in mid-step as he tried to eavesdrop on some locals. “Guanghong, coronations can last for days. We need to know when it’ll start, and that’s when we’ll strike.”

Guanghong looked up to the sky, wondering if God or if some Egyptian god was looking down at him right now with a bowl of popcorn and a pop nearby. Sighing, he looked back at Leo. “You said you spent a lot of time at the son’s pyramid. Does the ancient text talk about how he died? At least give me that much before you disappear.”

Pulling his cloak up to cover the bottom of his face, Leo winked before heading out.

“The dear son died of a heartache, and there’s nothing on this earth that can cure the arrow’s affliction over one’s heart.” Like a thief in the night, Leo was gone and Guanghong was alone in a world that he was never suited for. Even though he somewhat looked like a local, people would pause and stare at his shoes, his beige shorts, his unruly hair, and his facial features. Catching the attention of a few girls didn’t suit well in Guanghong’s mind, and he didn’t understand anything that was being said around him. However, body language was still universal.

Trusting his instincts, Guanghong stayed away from most and ventured to the edge of town where the Nile River stood at its full peak. Glancing around, Guanghong pulled off Leo’s cloak and waded waist-deep into the river before splashing over his back. The dried blood from the sacrificial altar faded off of him and drifted upstream. Scratching his legs with his feet, Guanghong wiggled his toes around in the silt and dunked his head into the water to cool off. He didn’t think much about it until he surfaced and saw two children messing with his things.

Leo’s cloak was barely touched, but the silver gun he stole was in one of their hands. It was a boy and a girl, two siblings who merely came by the lake to gather water for their parents before noticing the shiny weapon in Guanghong’s possession. The girl had the gun and pointed it at her brother. Guanghong ran. The water slowed him down, but he yelled at the kids to drop the gun. Startled by what she heard, the girl jerked and her finger pulled the trigger.

Guanghong’s eye widened as he leaped onto the river’s bank, catching the brother into his arms. The bullet left its mark in the boy’s chest, a blossoming red dripping down his chest as his sister threw the hot gun out of her hands and cried. Guanghong tried telling her that he warned them both, but then he realized that she didn’t understand a word from his mouth. The girl cried and screamed things at him before running. That’s when Guanghong knew that he had to leave.

Fastening Leo’s cloak on and stowing the gun away, Guanghong carried the dead brother in his arms and ran down the bank. He ran as far as he could before collapsing into the wet sand, eyes dull and lifeless. His hands were red, Leo’s cloak was splattered in the color, and the child in his arms was no more as the rest of his red was done dripping from his core wound. The tears weren’t just for the dead boy that Guanghong cradled in his arms. They were for an innocent, pure soul who had its time cut short from a tragic accident. An accident that wouldn’t have happened if time travel wasn’t possible, Guanghong wanted to add.

Closing the brother’s eyes, Guanghong gently set the body onto the Nile and watched the current carry the broken body upstream to where the boy can finally rest. Washing his hands in the water, Guanghong saw the blood fade away from his skin, but the still felt the pain. If he had been more careful, if he had concealed the weapon better, this wouldn’t have happened. A young girl wouldn’t have been scared for her life. A young boy could’ve grown into a man and own the riches of Life. Alas, neither happened and Guanghong was stuck with the memory of the incident for the rest of his life.

What did his father tell him once? _The greatest power doesn’t come from taking a life but from saving a life from a misfortune._ And when that thought crossed into Guanghong’s mind, the mission he was sent back in time for became clear to him. He could never bring back a life from the dead but if he could save a life from a misfortune…It would make all the difference in his conscience. Guanghong needed to find Leo. He needed to go back to town to find Leo.

Meanwhile in the bumbling roads across the ancient marketplace, Leo had concluded his personal research while also examining and observing the rich history that was happening all around him. He was breathing history, conversing with history, and seeing its face change depending on what he said. This was any archeologist’s dream, and Leo got to live it out before his eyes.

After a nice chat with a stand owner, Leo found out that tomorrow evening was the crowning of the new pharaoh. That meant he and Guanghong had around thirty hours to do what they needed to take care of. But to heal a heartache, they needed to know the son on a personal level. Sadly, the hieroglyphics back at the pyramid didn’t detail much about the son’s personal life. From what Leo could recall, the son was to be married that evening during the coronation as well, but why did his bride leave him?

For power? For stability? For riches beyond any mortal’s imagination? Leo didn’t think he’ll ever find out until he overheard a few townspeople talk about the joyous union that’ll occur tomorrow evening after the sunset. Perhaps the son and his bride were still together. That would mean…

 _“She stood him up. Right before the crowning, right after the party was set for their union,”_ Leo whispered to himself. How was it possible that someone could do that? Then again, the trend wasn’t all too uncommon in the modern era. It seemed that history had its own stories that it preferred to hide. Just as Leo was leaving the marketplace to head to the palace, a skirmish broke out in the heart of the town. A crowd of common folk gasped when two armed guards took down a cloaked figure. Leo wouldn’t have paid much attention if he hadn’t heard bits of Chinese and English mixed together as the assaulted demanded for some rights.

Crushed and hoisted into the air by both arms, Guanghong dared to bite back a smile when he saw Leo. Leo was looking right at him, but then Leo’s eyes traveled over to the silver gun in one of the guard’s hands. Eyes wide, Leo excused himself through the crowd to the heart of the mayhem. Mixing modern Arabic with words he had picked up in this ancient timeline, Leo tried to calm down the guards so that he could ask how Guanghong had offended them.

“Tell them it was an accident! I told the little girl to put the gun down!”

Leo whipped his attention over to Guanghong, color fading out of his face. “You did what?” he asked in English.

“I was washing the blood off my back when some kids found the gun and started aiming at each other.” Guanghong’s voice cracked and his chest shook from his heavy breathing. “I told the girl to put down the gun, but she ended up shooting her brother.”

“ _Do you understand him?”_ one of the guards asked Leo. Leo’s eyes flickered to the man before he gave a slow nod.

 _“How has this man offended you both?”_ Leo asked, heart on the edge.

_“This man was found in possession of a mystical object that can take a life without mercy. A criminal like him deserves the full fury of Ra.”_

Leo shook his head. _“The loss of a life is grand, especially when it’s a young one. However in this circumstance, this foreign traveler tried to warn those who had the gun. He warned them of its dangers, and the tragic accident was the accident that was not meant to be.”_

Guanghong hissed and whispered at Leo to tell him what was going on. Leo had to stay distant. If the guards suspected that he was Guanghong’s associate, only the Egyptian gods knew what was to come for the both of them. Luckily enough, Leo was able to pass off as a traveling scholar or a scribe. On the other hand, it was very unnatural to see someone with Guanghong’s features out in a world where nothing seemed to match.

Leo could only pray that everything was going to be alright, or so he thought that until he was forced to walk-the-walk with Guanghong down to the local jail. Tossed in and dusted with criminal activity, the entrance was sealed and Guanghong leaped to the exposed window like a dog and yelled at the guards to not pull the trigger. Alas, they were gone.

Guanghong sunk low into the sand. He punched the ground and winced.

“We can’t be here.”

“There’s really no way out from here,” Leo said, glancing out the barred window and watching civilians pass by. “You have to be a giant to remove the door’s seal, and we’ll be walking a dangerous path from here on out.”

“I mean, wouldn’t they kill us since I—” Guanghong cleared his throat. “ _Since the accident was reported?”_

Leo hummed a small tune to himself. “If they wanted us dead, they would’ve done that in public. We’ll probably be interrogated and asked where we got the gun.”

“They can’t have the gun,” Guanghong hissed. “They don’t understand it. They’ll either shoot somebody or accidently kill themselves.”

Before Leo responded, he paused and thought through what Guanghong had just said. At the start of this, Guanghong’s only care was to go home. But here he was, worried for another’s life that didn’t clash with his own. It was a nice change of character, but Leo almost couldn’t buy it. “When did you get interested in the past?”

“Because I realize how much it influences the future,” Guanghong hissed. He got up, sat himself by a corner, and he absently doodled on a jail wall with a scrap rock. Flickering his eyes away, Leo leaned out the window. Who knew when the guards would come back? They would most likely be detained until the coronation celebration was over, and the son will be long dead then.

“I can’t believe we’re in prison.”

A rock was thrown at a wall, and it echoed in the back of Leo’s mind

“We’re in _holding,_ and there _is_ a way to get out.”

Leo looked over at Guanghong just as the man finished his doodling.

“The ground’s hard so digging won’t get us anywhere.” Guanghong paused and turned his head, winking at Leo. “You’re right, we can’t push the stone that’s trapped us.” Tracing his hands along the wall, Guanghong motioned Leo to copy him. “I want you to feel the walls. It’s a soft rock. Pretty grainy, don’t you think? If it’s together, it can support a ton. If we chip away at it, it’ll just collapse into a pile of sand.” Guanghong tossed a hard rock over to Leo, and Leo fumbled but he eventually kept the feisty thing in his hands as Guanghong started chipping away at a corner.

The walls were indeed soft, and Leo couldn’t help but be amazed that Guanghong had figured this all out after just a few minutes. The Chinese man didn’t say a word to Leo as he worked, but eventually the two got close enough to exchange a thought or two to pass the time during their dull business. Though Guanghong was a tourist, Leo was fascinated to know more about him. Where did he learn to fight? Leo still remembered the fiasco back at the sacrificial chamber by the cult family. Where did Guanghong learn to access his surroundings? The man knew the secret to escape, and had no other held individual thought of it before? Probably yes.

Leo, himself, knew more about the ancient world, knew had to talk to the locals, and knew how to stay undercover. With what Guanghong lacked, he made it up through his tenacity and physical strength. That begged yet another question. Why did Guanghong know any of this if he was an ordinary civilian in the present timeline?

Leo fell back to reality when he felt a finger brush back his bangs. His eyes snapped to Guanghong, and the latter pulled his hand back.

“You were spacing out again,” he mumbled, knocking on the patch that he chipped before ramming his shoulder against the area. Breaking through, Guanghong tumbled into the sand while Leo stepped out slowly. Surprisingly, no one was around. This was their chance. With the sweat on their brows and the cloaks on their backs, they found and followed a crowd of civilians as they made their way down to the palace area.

High in the palace and overlooking a vast kingdom, the young prince of Egypt squinted to the places where he couldn’t see. Beyond the town that he grew and loved, there was a bigger world that was under his care. No amount of pride or falsehood could corrupt him now as the love of his life sashayed towards him and rested her chin upon his shoulder. Tomorrow night, they were to be wed. Tomorrow night, their real lives would begin.

But in the bride’s heart, she did not see the fine leader that so many others had praised the son. Yes, he had a way with words and diplomacy when it came down it. Yes, he was kind and oh-so fair just like his father and his forefathers. But to her, _to Anya,_ this man, _her Georgi,_ did not represent the power, the influence, nor the security that she would be promised with after their hand in marriage. In her eyes, Georgi was but a man who had too much compassion to those who had less, to those whose value meant nothing compared to the finest jewels or gods.

She knew, she just knew that if Georgi was to be her husband, she would have to share his hospitality and compassion and giving up eternal luxury wasn’t something Anya was willing to let go. So while her chin rested upon his shoulder, Anya leaned in and whispered the words that no man wanted to hear. The strong shoulders that could hold up the kingdom shook as well as the chest. Anya stepped back and watched the love of her life crumble into a shadow of who he once was.

 _“Another game, Anya? Perhaps, another riddle to bring my heart to ruin?”_ Georgi turned around, but Anya was already heading out. She turned her head with a smirk painted across her lips.

_“You’re no Pharaoh in my eyes. Your kingdom will fall just as your heart has.”_

Like a spell casted from the netherworld, an icy flame erupted over Georgi’s heart and he collapsed. Anya gave her farewells before disappearing with what elegance that still remained of her soul. Like a lotus submerging under the Nile when the sun was done, so did Georgi’s heart fall into ruin as he clutched himself and cradled what was left of a shattered image in his arms.

While Anya crossed the palace garden to escape, she bumped into the slave gardener just as he picked fresh lotus blossoms from the nearby pool. Basket spilled and blossoms wilting under the sun’s mercy, the gardener apologized and stepped aside as Anya pushed her way through the incident. Murmuring a few words of condolence towards the fallen lotus blossoms, the gardener gathered the flowers into his arms and hurried into the palace for a jar of fresh water. His sun-kissed hair tickled the back of his neck as he ran while the curious red streak down his bangs brought the coming of a new age as day turned into night.

Stumbling into the palace was rather easy for our heroes. As people moved in every which way to prepare for tomorrow’s coronation day, Leo and Guanghong disguised themselves under rather believable alibis. Keeping their faces hidden, Leo portrayed a fellow scribe from a distant who wanted to document the historic event while Guanghong played the part of a slave. After a furious debate with paper-rock-scissors, Guanghong eventually agreed to play his part.

“You don’t speak the language, and you’re unfamiliar with the customs here. It’s a perfect alibi,” Leo told him. Either way, Guanghong only agreed to be the slave in the duo because he had the raw strength to make up for his lack of ancient knowledge. Like before, stumbling into the palace was easy because of their alibis and because most were busy with festivities. They couldn’t see the royal family personally, but Leo did overhear some guards talking about the son.

“What are they saying?”

“Shush,” Leo whispered. Both were hiding behind a clay pot as the guards discussed about the son’s rather peculiar behavior. Leo strained his ears and tried to make sense of what he heard. While he did that, Guanghong stared off into space and snapped back to reality when Leo’s foot dug deeper into the sand. _“Young Gregoria had his heart broken.”_

“What kind of name is that?”

“If you pay attention to Egyptian discoveries, most royals had interesting names. This son had a very easy name to say. At least it wasn’t _Ankhesenamun.”_

“Who was he?”

Leo banged his head against the clay pot. “That is King Tut’s sister. _Half-sister_ ,” he added. Guanghong gasped and wrinkled his nose. Leo shook his head. “Moving past that, _Georgi_ had his heartbroken. Now, we have to somehow save him from it.”

Guanghong blinked. _“Who’s Georgi?”_

“It’s a shorten version of his name, Guanghong,” Leo hissed, poking his partner’s cheek with a frown. “Please keep up.”

“Trust me, I’ve forgotten everyone’s name at some point,” Guanghong mumbled, following after Leo as they both sneaked into the palace garden. Having ditched their shoes— _Guanghong was sad to let his tennis shoes go, but he was forced to watch Leo bury them deep into the earth in an undisclosed location—_ the soft grass was inviting after a hot day spent trekking under the sun. No one was around. All was quiet.  It was almost too perfect, but Leo whipped his head back when Guanghong nearly tipped over a heavy pot.

A quick whimper escaped from his lips as he tried to push the pot back up, but it was straining his back and Guanghong couldn’t hold the pot up for much longer. In startling speed, someone raced over to Guanghong and helped push up the pot with him. Despite being shorter than him, the little fellow was probably two or three times stronger than Guanghong, even though his frame was bony at best. With loose garments and windswept hair, the individual asked Guanghong if he needed treatment or at least something sweet to snack on to forget the incident.

“Leo. Help. Me.” Guanghong stressed each syllable until Leo came to his recuse.

 _“No, he’ll be fine. He’s rather clumsy around things. I’ll keep a better watch over him.”_ Leo patted Guanghong’s shoulder, and the latter was forced to smile to convince the stranger.

_“You two shouldn’t be here. The garden is off limits to strangers.”_

_“We’re travelers, and I’m here to document the coming of the next pharaoh over this divine kingdom.”_ Leo crossed his fingers behind his back as the palace stranger took this information in. Guanghong nodded to whatever words came out of Leo’s mouth.

_“The pharaoh to-be does not request an audience at the moment. You two will have to come back tomorrow.”_

Leo stood his ground. _“On the contrary, I think we can see him right now. He’s suffering, isn’t he?”_

The palace gardener’s eyes flickered when they shot back to Leo. That told Leo everything he needed to know while Guanghong studied Leo’s smug expression and the startled glint in the gardener’s eyes. Whatever plan Leo was forming, Guanghong needed to know. To be exact, it wasn’t fair that he didn’t know what was going on. While Leo filled in the details for Guanghong, the gardener stared at the travelers in front of him.

Though from a distant land, they looked out of place in a world such as this. It didn’t take a scribe or a genius to figure that out, but could he trust them? Their strange language was the only thing that kept his trust. He didn’t understand their tongue, but they spoke with a voice that was equivalent to the gods. Maybe…

_“You’re gods.”_

Leo turned his attention back to the gardener. The gardener stared at him and Guanghong with mortal eyes, and he bowed down low in front of their feet.

_“I should’ve known who you two were. Please accept my humblest apology, and let me bear you two gifts.”_

Leo shook his head. _“It is not necessary. Please lift your head, young one.”_

_“It’s Minami.”_

Even Guanghong, who barely knew a word of what was said, recognized when a name was said and committed it to memory as the gardener, _Minami_ , bowed his head low again and rose to his feet at Leo’s command.

Minami stared down at his feet before he grew enough strength to control his words. _“As gods, do you have the power to fiddle with a mortal’s heart?”_

Leo scratched his chin and glanced towards the stone fountain that stood in the middle of the palace garden. _“Only if asked and if accepted.”_ Leo kept his attention on the running water, like how one would notice the ripples and changes along the lazy River of Time. _“But Minami, what troubles ail your pharaoh to-be that you request this?”_

 _“His lover left him, and I fear the worse.”_ Minami gripped the hem of his garment. _“Love’s arrow wounds the mightiest when there is no support at his side.”_ Hands shaking, Minami lowered his head still. _“Please, you have to save him.”_

 _“Are you in possession of a lotus flower?”_ Leo whispered.

_“Yes.”_

Plucking a rich blossom from a bush, Leo pulled back Minami’s hair and rested the flower over the youth’s ear. _“With the power nestled inside the flower, we can raise your king’s heart back from the shallow grave that gulped it. Please, we need the flower.”_

Minami brushed his hands over the bloom by his ear as his eyes hardened into a grown man’s. _“Only if I can tempt a god.”_

Leo raised an eyebrow, and Guanghong tapped his foot impatiently, trying to read Minami and his partner’s body language. Both had a plan, and both had a way to disguise their deception. But even so, Guanghong had to stand by and wait for Leo’s signal before jumping to any conclusions. Leo remained silent for a moment before his thoughts caught up to him.

_“What do you propose, Minami?”_

_“The life of a dear friend of mine. I was one of the lucky ones that were bought into this palace. My comrade was left behind and is now toiling under the construction of a pyramid for the new pharaoh. Please save my friend. Please tell him I’m okay.”_

_“What name does he follow?”_

_“Yuuri.”_

Across the sands of time that whipped and morphed the face of Egypt, standing in the heart of the city was a magnificent pyramid to honor the life of a new pharaoh. The hundreds of men and women that broke their backs while building the structure up, stone by stone, rested at the foot of the pyramid, attempting to catch a whisper of sleep as the harsh desert winds flailed their bodies and damaged their hearts. Huddled towards the outskirts of the group was a young slave called _Yuuri._ Conquered from his native land and sold amongst a network of slave traders, he saw the beginning of his end when his dear comrade, Minami, disappeared from his sight during an auction.

Where was his comrade, he never found out. But late on a night like this, Yuuri liked to imagine that Minami had a roof over his head, a warm meal every day, and a pail of water at his disposal. Licking the roof of his mouth, Yuuri tried to nuzzle himself closer to slumber but before knew it, the sun was up and another day of toil was at hand. With the usual ration of half a loaf of bread, all the slaves were drove to work. Guards stood by, whips in hand to lash out the daily licks if needed. Having already lost an eye to the deadly lashes, Yuuri was quick to leave his morning meal behind in order to gather stones to stack. His shrunken body and his jutting bones made it hard to drag stones back up to the pyramid from their supply corner. His bloody and useless left eye served no purpose, but Yuuri liked having it around.

Other than the fact that he didn’t want to rip it out of himself, the blinded eye kept others away from him and Yuuri preferred it that way. The less he had to talk, the more water he could conserve. By late that afternoon, even Yuuri couldn’t stay occupied in his thoughts when a disturbance was high on the wind. A powerful crack echoed in the distance, piercing his ears. It was a high shrill, and Yuuri stumbled when he took cover behind a stone slab. Peeking over his hiding spot, he saw a young man with a silver weapon in his hands as he dodged spears and lashing whips from the supervising guards.

All the other slaves had dispersed and were hidden behind stones or used as personal shields against the foreign threat. The young man didn’t use his weapon at all. Keeping it close in his possession, he fought with his swift fists and legs, easily overpowering those larger and more menacing than he was. Ripping whips out of hands, the young man danced the _Song of Victory_ as he weaved past offenses that never landed close to him.

All the while, Yuuri turned around when a foreigner approached him from behind.

 _“You’re Yuuri, am I right?”_ The stranger had a soft voice, but their voice was unlike any other Yuuri had ever heard before. Back against the stone slab, Yuuri nodded. The stranger had a small smile. _“Do not be afraid, Yuuri. I was sent here by a dear friend of yours. Minami wants to wish you well.”_

Upon hearing the name, Yuuri leapt to his feet. Happy that Yuuri believed him, Leo covered Yuuri in his cloak and ran for it while Guanghong kept the enemies out at bay. Before they reached the end of the construction site, a lashing whip shot in their direction. Leo pushed Yuuri forward so he wouldn’t get hit before bracing him for the sting to come. Instead, Guanghong pushed _him_ forward and took the whip instead before grabbing the weapon’s end and yanking it so hard that the offending guard was pulled into the air until Guanghong’s fist buried the man’s face deep into the surrounding sand.

Chest heaving, Leo didn’t look away from Guanghong. Cloak gone during the fight, Guanghong’s whole back was exposed to the whip’s lash. Down his left shoulder was a bloody cut that tore straight into the man’s shoulder blade while blood seeped from the injury and dotted the desert sand like rain.

“G-Guanghong?”

Guanghong slowly turned around, a grimace painted across his face but there was a smile over his lips. “We got a pharaoh to save. Let’s go.” Stumbling forward, Leo caught his friend and held him up. Yuuri came back to help as well, but Leo told him to save his strength for they had a long journey to ahead. It wasn’t until near sunset did they return to the palace. Leo refrained from cursing when he saw the setting sun approaching the horizon. He let Yuuri and Minami have their joyous reunion as both friends hugged and cried on the other’s shoulder.

Guanghong rested beside a soft bush, dried blood sealing his wound while a squishy moss paste from Minami helped weaken the pain. More than ever, Leo requested Minami for a blue lotus and Minami returned with what Leo asked for. Guanghong watched Leo pluck the petals and stir them around in a bowl of water. Eyes sinking down to gaze his own heart, Guanghong asked how that was going to work.

“Placebo, Guanghong. If Georgi believes that this is an elixir, he won’t die.”

“What’s to say that he doesn’t have a heart disease?” Guanghong slowly got up and followed Leo up to the palace.

“What’s to say that this won’t work?”

Guanghong bit back a laugh and leaned against Leo as they went up the palace stairs.

And so with that, history was rewritten. Believing that Leo and Guanghong were servants of the great sun god, Leo gave the young Georgi the bowl of water with the lotus petals. With Leo’s strong and moving words, it gave Georgi the strength to move on from his aching heart after he drank the contents of the bowl before his coronation. And before he could thank the travelers for giving him life, Leo and Guanghong had already disappeared. With history rewritten, there was no need for them to stay much longer in ancient Egypt.

But what did happen to our heroes? Well, they created a new timeline for themselves. As Guanghong strolled down an interactive Egyptian tour along an expedition site, he caught site of a crumbling jail wall with familiar symbols on it. Faded into the soft stone were Chinese symbols that read: _Here lies a bigger adventure in rewriting history._

Guanghong titled his head curiously, wondering why Chinese was written on an Egyptian wall. But even so, the faded birthmark along his left shoulder began to sting when he heard a voice from behind him.

“Curious, am I right? We still don’t understand why that’s there.”

Turning around, Guanghong caught sight of a young man with an escape rope hugged over his shoulders.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. It's my first time-traveling piece.


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